These active and passive voice exercises contain multiple-choice and fill-in-the blanks questions to help you rewrite sentences in different forms. A PDF worksheet is available for free. You can check your answers after you have completed each activity.
Exercise 1: identifying voice used in sentences
Identify the voice used in each sentence.
1. He is needed here as a witness.
The main verb in the sentence has the be + past participle form. Thus, the correct answer is 'passive'.
2. Do cats chase mice?
active
3. Was the book written by J. K. Rowling?
Here, the doer of the action comes after 'by'. Thus, the sentence is in the passive form.
4. She was caught cheating with another man yesterday.
If you ask the question "Who caught her?", the answer is not known. Therefore, we do not know who performs the action.
5. She was admired by all her friends.
passive
6. His father taught him to fight.
active
7. Somebody stole my bike last week.
active
Exercise 2: changing active voice to passive voice
Change the following sentences to passive voice.
1. J. K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter.
Harry Potter was written by J. K. Rowling.
2. Conor McGregor punched me in the face.
I was punched in the face by Conor McGregor.
3. The police arrested Jimmy yesterday.
Jimmy was arrested by the police yesterday.
4. My son made this beautiful design.
This beautiful design was made by my son.
5. Irving Berlin has written many songs.
Many songs have been written by Irving Berlin.
6. Peter is painting the wall.
The wall is being painted by Peter.
7. The police should arrest him.
He should be arrested by the police.
8. The parliament is going to pass a new law.
A new law is going to be passed by the parliament.
9. Mike Tyson would have broken his jaw.
His jaw would have been broken by Mike Tyson.
10. NASA will send people to Mars.
People will be sent to Mars by NASA.
Exercise 3: passive to active voice
Change the following sentences to active voice.
1. The suspect will eventually be caught by the police.
The police will eventually catch the suspect.
2. Your bike will be fixed by Max tomorrow.
Max will fix your bike tomorrow.
3. The roof will be repaired by Jude next week.
Jude will repair the roof next week.
4. Dinner is being prepared by Lily.
Lily is preparing dinner.
5. Many new houses have been built by local villagers.
Local villagers have built many new houses.
6. My cat was bitten by a dog.
A dog bit my cat.
7. My dog was eaten by a crocodile last month.
A crocodile ate my dog last month.
8. Conor McGregor was beaten by Khabib Normagomedov.
Khabib Normagomedov beat Conor McGregor.
9. He was taken to the hospital by somebody.
Somebody took him to the hospital.
10. His daughter was found by the FBI.
The FBI found his daughter.
4. Active and passive voice worksheet
This worksheet includes 8 passive and active voice sentences to be rewritten.
- 1. A fish was caught by Oliver.
- 2. You will be taken care of by James.
- 3. This tree should not be cut (by anybody).
- 4. An arrest warrant for Adele has just been issued by the police.
- 5. Lee Harvey shot President Kennedy.
- 6. The Netherlands colonised South Africa.
- 7. Her Husband had slapped her.
- 8. A specialist has treated Adele.
